Chapter 112 : Declaration of Sovereignty

When Song Shenglin appeared, Liang Qingqing realized that she had been out for too long. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she rubbed her forehead and introduced the two men with a serious tone, “This is my partner, Comrade Fan Yanxing, and this is Team Leader Song Shenglin, whom I’ve mentioned to you before.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the two men’s gazes met, and the scrutiny and probing were clearly visible in their eyes.

“Hello.” As a man himself, Fan Yanxing noticed the subtle tension and unspoken thoughts. He raised an eyebrow slightly and took a couple of steps towards Liang Qingqing, a gesture that seemed both a declaration of claim and a casual movement.

Song Shenglin’s eyes briefly glanced at Fan Yanxing’s shoes before he looked up, smiling faintly, and said, “Hello. I didn’t expect Comrade Liang to be married at such a young age.”

“If you are in love with each other, its natural we married a bit earlier,” Fan Yanxing replied, a faint smile appearing on his usually stern face.

Song Shenglin was momentarily taken aback, his expression gradually hardening.

“We have things to take care of. You can go first, we’ll see each other at home,” Liang Qingqing shot a disapproving glance at Fan Yanxing, thinking to herself that he really had no filter. She felt embarrassed, and wondered how Song Shenglin would interpret their interaction.

Fan Yanxing, feeling unjustly treated, looked at Liang Qingqing with a hint of frustration. He was aware she probably didn’t realize he was under scrutiny, and was foolishly glaring at him.

Understanding her focus on work and the presence of others making certain things inappropriate to say aloud, he could only nod and turn away, leaving with a few backward glances.

Once he was gone, only Liang Qingqing and Song Shenglin remained in the courtyard. Liang Qingqing gave a dry laugh and explained her earlier absence, “I thought I saw someone who looked like him from afar, so I came out to check. And it turned out to be him.”

“It’s fine. I’ve got the documents. Let’s head to the broadcasting bureau, didn’t Deputy Director Tian ask you to deliver the documents?” Song Shenglin seemed to brush off the incident, merely nodding slightly before changing the topic.

Liang Qingqing sighed with relief but found Song Shenglin’s attitude somewhat odd. She pondered it for a while but couldn’t pinpoint what was strange, so she shrugged it off and decided to focus on the task at hand.

The two moved quickly. Liang Qingqing chatted with Feng Jie for a few moments at the broadcasting bureau before they set off back to the provincial capital.

On the way back, Song Shenglin still kept his eyes closed to rest. However, whether it was due to the medication or holding onto that orange peel, his complexion looked normal and no longer as alarming as before.

Seeing this, Liang Qingqing felt somewhat relieved. If something had happened to Song Shenglin, she would have shared part of the responsibility as his colleague.

After returning safely to the provincial broadcasting bureau, they went their separate ways. Liang Qingqing reported the successful completion of the task to Tian Fengchun before dragging her tired body back to the dormitory.

The technician worked quickly. After testing the equipment again and finding no issues, they began some of the official recordings. The team members, having gone through countless drills, were now perfectly coordinated. With Liang Qingqing not making any mistakes, the work proceeded smoothly, even exceeding expectations. What was originally a month-long task was completed in just three weeks.

On the final day, everyone had a meal together at the same state-run restaurant where they had eaten on the first day. They were in the same private room with the same people, but after spending several days together, they were now more familiar with each other. Liang Qingqing no longer felt constrained and was able to laugh and chat freely with everyone.

After a few rounds of drinks, she was a bit tipsy. After drinking a glass of water, she decided to step outside for some fresh air. She walked to the end of the corridor, leaned on the railing, rubbed her forehead, and let out a deep breath, feeling as if she had come back to life.

But before she could fully enjoy the peace, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned abruptly and saw Song Shenglin. He was dressed lightly, wearing only a gray sweater, and the cold wind had left a red mark on his face.

“What a coincidence.”

Last time, they had bumped into each other here, and today it was the same. Liang Qingqing couldn’t help but remark.

To her surprise, Song Shenglin shook his head, stood next to her, leaned on the railing just like she did, looked out into the distance, and said softly, “I came specifically to find you.”

These words left Liang Qingqing momentarily stunned. She didn’t quite grasp the situation but quickly managed a smile, “Is there something you need from me, Team Leader Song?”

When Liang Qingqing asked, Song Shenglin remained silent for a long time. His fingers, resting on the railing, gradually clenched, and the veins on the back of his hand stood out, as if he were deliberately suppressing something.

Standing together, the distance was just right for Liang Qingqing to clearly smell the strong scent of alcohol on him. She couldn’t tell how much he had drunk, but his neck was flushed.

The silence made the atmosphere a bit awkward. Liang Qingqing disliked such an environment. She deliberately sniffed and rubbed her arms, then turned to Song Shenglin and said, “It’s a bit cold. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Song Shenglin suddenly looked at her, his eyes filled with complex emotions. It seemed he had made up his mind. He frowned and spoke rapidly, “Comrade Liang, would you consider coming to Shanghai with me?”

“Ah?” Liang Qingqing instinctively took a step back, looking at Song Shenglin in confusion. Then she started to guess what might be behind his words, her eyes widening in disbelief.

As if realizing the potential misunderstanding, Song Shenglin gave a wry smile and explained, “What I mean is, you’re so talented that you should consider developing your career at the Shanghai Broadcasting Bureau. I can introduce you there. A gem shouldn’t be left in the dust.”

Hearing this, Liang Qingqing covered her mouth and laughed, half-jokingly saying, “You scared me! If someone who didn’t know the situation overheard you, they might think you were planning to elope with me. I certainly wouldn’t agree to that!”

Her tone was light and relaxed, but Song Shenglin’s eyes showed a hint of discomfort. He cleared his throat and did not respond to her comment. Instead, he repeated, “Please think it over. Will you consider moving to Shanghai?”

Liang Qingqing shook her head almost immediately. “Thank you for your kindness, Team Leader Song, but I have my own plans and currently have no intention of moving to Shanghai.”

Hearing this, Song Shenglin’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and he asked in a disappointed, subdued voice, “Is it because of your partner?”

“No,” Liang Qingqing shook her head. “Thank you for your recognition. I’m pleased, but I’m very aware of my own abilities. I’m not yet at the level required for a larger city. I still need to learn and improve.”

“And compared to Shanghai, I’m more interested in developing my career in Beijing in the future.”

Her reasoning was clear and logical, with a determined look in her eyes that left Song Shenglin with nothing more to say. He managed a weak smile, nodding and saying, “I understand.”

“Then I’ll head back now.” Liang Qingqing pointed towards the private room, took a few steps forward, and then turned back to say, “I wish you a smooth journey.”

Since the work was completed and they would be heading back to Shanghai in two days, this was her early farewell.

Song Shenglin watched her walk down the empty corridor, then suddenly lowered his head.

As the year drew to a close, Changbei Province, which had not seen snow in many years, experienced its first snowfall.

At this moment, Liang Qingqing was in the Liang family’s living room, painting with Songzi. The little one’s skills had improved significantly, initially copying her paintings, he now started to incorporate his own creative ideas. Although still somewhat childish, his talent was beginning to show.

“When Songzi grows up, he can go to college and become an artist,” Liang Qingqing joked to Wang Xiaomei, who was mending clothes nearby. Wang Xiaomei looked up with a cold smile and said, “As long as he grows up safely and happily, I’ll be satisfied with whatever he does.”

This led to a discussion about the time Songzi had sneaked out with his friends to collect bird eggs, despite the cold weather. They had frozen and almost fallen down the hillside if not for the intervention of passing villagers who rescued them.

After being scolded by his mother, even though Songzi was young, he could still sense the discontent.

“You know, being almost a big brother, you should be a good example,” Liang Qingqing teased, poking Songzi’s forehead.

“I’ll be a good example and teach my younger siblings well,” Songzi promised earnestly, despite his small size.

Seeing Songzi’s earnest promise, both Liang Qingqing and Wang Xiaomei couldn’t help but laugh. Liang Qingqing looked at Wang Xiaomei’s slightly protruding belly and asked gently, “Do you want a son or a daughter?”

“Either is fine, but both Shuqiang and I would prefer a daughter. A perfect family is even better,” Wang Xiaomei replied. Having both a son and a daughter is one of life’s blessings.

Liang Qingqing nodded in understanding. Before she could continue the conversation, Wang Xiaomei glanced around mysteriously and leaned closer to ask, “Qingqing, if you get pregnant, would you prefer a son or a daughter?”

“I’m okay with either. It’s natural, and I’ll love the child regardless,” Liang Qingqing admitted. She had never really thought about it, and Wang Xiaomei’s question caught her off guard, so she could only give a conventional answer.

“Does Yanxing’s family have a tradition of needing to have a son?” Wang Xiaomei asked with concern.

Liang Qingqing shook her head, “I don’t think so. Their family seems quite open-minded.”

“That’s true.” Wang Xiaomei recalled meeting the Fan family, although they hadn’t spoken much they didn’t seem like people who valued sons over daughters.

Just then, Liang Junqiang burst in, excitedly shouting, “It’s snowing!”

As soon as he spoke, Songzi dashed outside and stood in the yard, grinning at them, “It’s really snowing.”

Liang Qingqing and Wang Xiaomei exchanged glances and both got up to head outside. Standing under the eaves, they reached out their hands, catching the small snowflakes in their palms. The delicate shapes sparkled in the light, adding a touch of chill to their skin.

“Mom and Dad are still at Uncle’s house. Should we bring them an umbrella?” Wang Xiaomei asked, her worry mingling with her happiness as the snow continued to fall.

“I’ll go. You two stay here. I think Elder Brother and Yanxing should be back from the country soon,” Liang Junqiang volunteered, grabbing an umbrella under the porch.

Songzi, hearing this, wanted to go too but remembered his promise to be a good example for his younger siblings and kept quiet.